Ellen DeGeneres

(http://healthyhelperblog.com/real-inspiration/ (Healthy Helper Blog))

Puppets, this society is full of puppets. Letting people pull the strings on where to go, what to say, or even who to love. Everyone starts out as a puppet, learning right from wrong, but Ellen cut her strings when she realized that she wasn't living genuinely. There's a big difference between living and just existing; and Ellen knew that to be living she would have to be happy. Ellen DeGeneres, a female comedian, has earned the respect of many with her great accomplishments and just being the kind, charismatic person she is. Mainly known for her hit TV show, Ellen, she also lent her voice to the lovable, yet absentminded, blue fish Dory in Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo (2003). She took a selfless risk when coming out as her character and herself in Ellen, 1997, being the first gay lead character on a network TV show. Through her humbleness and humour, Ellen DeGeneres continues to encourage all, whether they support her or not, to discover themselves and be happy; despite what it may look like to others.

Coming out on her sitcom, Ellen, Ellen has given people the opportunity to see how being true to herself really helped her not feel like a misfit looking from the outside in. People saw Ellen's coming out as a big risk, thinking her career would end: "Ellen took what many considered to be a career risk in the name of honesty, and is now enjoying the rewards from that" ("Gay Market News."). Like everyone else, DeGeneres knew what the repercussions of her honesty would be. But putting all of that aside, she also knew that in order to live happy she had to live true. Ellen had a hard time living the way she thought she had to, the way she saw others were living: "Ellen has come so far in both her personal and professional life and its all because she works hard and is not afraid to be herself" ("5 Reasons We."). This really paints a picture of how someone is happiest when they are themselves, regardless of how it may make some feel. What other people's thoughts are on what makes someone happy shouldn't matter.

Ellen with her wife Portia de Rossi (http://www.ibtimes.com/peoples-choice-awards-2015- (Reuters))

Ellen has gone through that rough journey of embracing who she is and has come out even stronger and more free than ever. In an episode of her hilarious sitcom, Ellen, her character and Ellen herself came out as gay in 1997: "As the first mainstream TV star celebrity to come out of the closet as a lesbian-at the height of her then existing fame, over ten years ago now, to her latter day nonchalant honesty about who she is as a modern out lesbian media communication celebrity." ("Gay Market News."). DeGeneres didn't make her coming out as if it was an event made in history; she embraced it as a normal thing because it is. She's attracted to people with the same body parts as her, so what? Ellen has discovered people who love her even more for just being herself: "A large part of her success comes from not pretending to be somebody else. After announcing she was a lesbian, she may have had a small set back initially; however, she now has more loyal fans than ever before who respect her for who she is" ("Ellen DeGeneres."). Making a huge change can be difficult, even if its for the better, but all good things come to those who wait. A person should not be ashamed of who they are, whether it being their sexuality, race, religion, anything else that makes them, them.

Ellen takes a stand for anything that she believes needs the attention and does so by using her fame to inform everyone. DeGeneres has opened the eyes for many people on homosexuality: "Ellen took the risk; Ellen took the heat. And now her daily unapologetic presence as a lesbian on TV normalizes gayness for Middle America" ("Gay Market News."). She fully stands up for what she believes and isn't ashamed whatsoever, given all the hate and love. Nothing will ever stop her and nothing ever will. Ellen has accomplished many other things since coming out and embracing who she is: "Ellen's an advocate for change; she is a known supporter for freedom of rights for gay's and lesbian's, she quit smoking in 2005, became a vegan in 2009 and is an environmental enthusiast" ("Ellen DeGeneres."). Ellen has taken charge for a lot of things she is passionate about and those little changes have spiraled into some pretty amazing outcomes. Ellen DeGeneres has stood up for a great amount of good causes, despite the controversy, and has made great changes.

Ellen has helped shine light on the fact that it doesn't matter how others may feel about what makes a person who they are. People should find themselves and love themselves and hopefully the right people will come along and join them. DeGeneres uses her personal experience to help and encourage others to find happiness, wherever it may be. She shows how the path to finding peace has some bumps along the road, but by the end of this journey the outcome will be more freeing than ever. Those bruises will heal and all that's left will be a clean slate. Embracing who you are as a human being can be very difficult thing to go through. People are too busy caring about how they should embrace themselves. Is everybody going to accept them? But the truth is none of that matters. What matters is whether that person accepts themselves because once they do, people who actually deserve that person's love will embrace them as well. Everyone starts out as a puppet, but its your choice whether you choose to cut those strings or not.

Works Cited "5 Reasons We Salute You, Ellen Degeneres." Gossip, Fast Fashion, Female Lifestyle, Sex & Love: CollegeCandy. N.p., 24 Mar. 2010. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. "Ellen DeGeneres | Actors / Actresses | FeelingSuccess." FeelingSuccess. N.p., 10 June 2014. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. "Ellen Degeneres." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. "Gay Market News.: Ellen DeGeneres - Gay Hero." Gay Market News.: Ellen DeGeneres - Gay Hero. N.p., 2007. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. Tennant, Thomas. "Who Is Ellen DeGeneres? Biography and Fun Facts." N.p., 2015. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. "World Biography." Ellen DeGeneres Biography. N.p., 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.